Power supply interlock for a distributed power system
US5229926A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 1, 1992 |
| Grant date | Jul 20, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 1, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03K19/00361
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A power supply interlock technique for an electronic system which uses metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) logic circuits require two or more different supply voltages, and where each circuit board module contains its own power supplies. An open-collector enable signal is both controlled and sensed by each of the modules. The enable signal is set true when all of the supplies in the system are operating properly. However, the enable signal is set false by any one of the modules if one of the higher voltage supplies on that module is malfunctioning. The enable line also controls the lower voltage power supplies in each module. None of the lower voltage power supplies is thus permitted to operate until the enable line is set true, which occurs only when all of the modules indicate they have an operating high voltage supply available. As a result, latch-up of parasitic transistors in the circuits which drive logic signals on a system bus is avoided.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.